on the Olive Finch.



167



The Museum Catalogue gives two sub-species, P. pusilla

and P. intermedia. These are but Olive Finches, with more

black on the breast region. Pusilla comes from the mainland—

“ From Mexico, throughout Central America to Panama and

Columbia” ; in a really good healthy male, practically the whole

of the under parts, from side to side and reaching to the abdomen,

are black or blackish, the orange throat excepted. In hitermedia,

it is the extent of the black 011 the breast that is intermediate

between Lepida and Pusilla ; it is found on Cozumel Island, &c.

All of these may be recognised by the yellow superciliary line,

lores, and upper throat.


Lastly, we come to the birds that want the yellow on face

and throat, of which may be taken as the type—


The Dusky Finch, Phonipai'a bicolor , from the “ Lesser

Antilles generally ; Venezuela and Colombia,” with its less dusky

edition P. marchii , from “Jamaica, San Domingo, S. Croix, Santa

Lucia, S. Thomas, and Barbadoes.” So the Br. Mus. Catalogue;

but Cory does not seem to see his way to recognising P. marchii

as distinct, and includes all in P. bicolor. Mr. Bonhote, whom

we quote below, tells us that P. bicolor is found also in the

Bahama Islands. The Catalogue (p. 151) introduces yet another

bird, P. fuliginosa, from Guiana and Brazil, which is quite un¬

known to me. It seems to be like the Dusky Finch, but larger

and more sooty generally, and at page 820 is declared to. be

worthy of being regarded as a distinct species. “Underparts

dull sooty grey ; the under tail-coverts edged with ashy fulvous.”


All the birds of this genus are tiny creatures (but full of

fight), ranging in total length from the 3.4 inches of Canora to

the nearly 5 inches of Fuliginosa, the females being a little

smaller. They are so closely allied that one feels they are prac¬

tically but local variations of the same bird, with similar habits

modified by local conditions—with the one exception of P. cano? r a,

which, although closely allied, differs from the others in various

little indescribable and subtle ways. Broadly speaking, there are

just three, the Cuba Finch, with its yellow collar “across” the

lower throat; the Olive Finch, with spot of yellow on lores,

chin, and upper throat; and the Dusky Finch, which dispenses

with brilliants altogether.



